Teesdale School and Sixth Form, Barnard Castle

In 2026, pupils at Teesdale School and Sixth Form averaged an Attainment 8 score of 57, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.6 in County Durham and 47 across England.

66% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 42% in County Durham and 47% in England.

That is up from 49.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.27: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 48.6, against 59.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 19 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, French and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 94 families put Teesdale School and Sixth Form as their first choice and 133 named it as one of their preferences, for 99 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

Teesdale School and Sixth Form is one of 15 schools run by North East Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.9 in 2024/25.

155 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Teesdale School and Sixth Form (as of September 2025): 59% would recommend the school, 69% say their child is happy there and 57% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (76%); the weakest, that the school supports their child's wider development (44%).

Of the 123 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 31 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 58% went on to university or other higher education and 23% into work. 23% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 104 pupils (15.2%) received SEN support and 8 (1.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Teesdale School and Sixth Form.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Teesdale School bus park (n-bound), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, Teesdale School and Sixth Form issued 146 suspensions, 21.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Teesdale School and Sixth Form are Green Lane Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); Montalbo Nursery & Primary School (0.4 miles); and St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Barnard Castle (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.